Miya Pearson
If your computer wakes up from sleep mode unexpectedly, there are several ways to find out what's causing it. One way is to use the Command Prompt or PowerShell to find the Wake Source. Another way is to use the Event Viewer app, which can be found by searching Event Viewer in the Windows search bar. From there, you can navigate to the 'System' option under 'Windows Logs' and find the Power-Troubleshooter to see what woke your computer. For Mac users, you can open Terminal and enter a specific command to find out what woke up your computer.
How to find out what wakes a PC from sleep mode
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows, Mac |
| Solutions | Check BIOS settings, use POWERCFG command, check Event Viewer, check Power Management settings, check Task Scheduler, use Command Prompt, use PowerShell, use Terminal utility |
| Reasons for PC waking | Background processes, network connections, scheduled tasks, hardware, power button, system updates, mouse movement, keyboard input |
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What You'll Learn
Using the POWERCFG command on Windows Terminal
If your Windows PC unexpectedly wakes up from sleep mode, you can use the POWERCFG command on Windows Terminal to find out the reason. POWERCFG is a command-line utility that allows you to manage various aspects of power plans, control the power states of individual devices, and analyze the system for common energy efficiency and battery life problems.
To use the POWERCFG command, follow these steps:
- Right-click on the Start Menu and select "Windows Terminal (Admin)".
- In the Terminal, type or copy and paste the following command and press Enter:
> powercfg -lastwake
This command will display the reason for your PC waking up from sleep mode, such as a specific application or program like File Explorer.
You can also use the POWERCFG command to manage your power plans. To list all available power plans, use the following command:
> powercfg /list
To export a power plan, specify the path and file name using the following command:
> powercfg /export PATH\TO\FILENAME PLAN-GUID
For example, to export the "High Performance" plan to a ".pow" file in the "C" drive, use this command:
> powercfg /export C:\high-performance.pow 8c5e7fda-e8bf-4a96-9a85-a6e23a8c635c
Similarly, to import a power plan, use the following command:
> powercfg /import PATH\TO\FILENAME
Again, specify the path to the exported file, such as:
> powercfg /import C:\high-performance.pow
By using the POWERCFG commands, you can control your power settings, identify what woke your PC from sleep mode, and manage your power plans on Windows.
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Using the Event Viewer app
If your computer keeps waking up from sleep mode, you can use the Event Viewer app to find out what's causing this. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to do it:
Firstly, open the Event Viewer app. You can do this by searching for "Event Viewer" in the Windows search bar and clicking on the result to open it.
Once the Event Viewer app is open, you need to navigate to the correct location to find the information you need. Click on "Windows Logs" in the left pane, then click on "System". This will display a list of events related to your system's activity, including sleep and wake events.
To filter the list and find the specific information you're looking for, right-click on "System" and select "Filter Current Log". This will open a new window with filtering options.
In the new window, expand "Event sources" and select "Power-Troubleshooter". This will filter the list to only show events related to power management, including sleep and wake events.
Click on "OK" to apply the filter.
Now, you can click on any event under "System" to view its details. The details will appear in the lower pane of the Event Viewer app, and you can see information such as the event's timestamp, the source of the event, and any additional information that might be helpful in understanding why your computer woke up from sleep mode.
For example, you might see that a scheduled task or a network event was the cause of your computer waking up. You can also see the sleep time and wake time of your computer, which can help you pinpoint any patterns or correlations with other events in the log.
By analysing the information in the Event Viewer app, you should be able to identify what is causing your computer to wake up from sleep mode. With this information, you can then take the necessary steps to prevent it from happening again, such as changing power management settings or disabling certain devices from waking up your computer.
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Checking for hardware issues
If your computer wakes up from sleep mode unexpectedly, there are a few ways to identify the cause and prevent it from happening again.
Firstly, you can use the POWERCFG command on Windows Terminal to find out what woke your PC from sleep mode. Right-click on the Start Menu, then select Windows Terminal (Admin). In the Terminal, type or copy and paste the command and press Enter: powercfg –lastwake. This will display the reason for your PC waking from sleep mode.
You can also use the Event Viewer app to find out why your PC woke from sleep mode. Type Event Viewer into the Windows search bar and click on the result to open it. Double-click the Windows Logs option from the left pane and click on System. This will give you details about the sleep time, wake time, and wake source, which can help you understand why your PC woke up.
If you find that a specific hardware device is causing the issue, you can adjust its settings or uninstall it to stop the problem. You can also try removing all your USB devices and putting your computer to sleep to see if it wakes up on its own. If it doesn't, you can start plugging in devices one by one to identify the offending device. Once you've found it, open the Start menu, search for "Device Manager," and find the device in the resulting list. Right-click on it, select Properties, then select the Power Management tab. Uncheck the "Allow This Device to Wake the Computer" option and click OK.
Additionally, you can enter the BIOS and disable USB waking if that option is available. To enter the BIOS setup, press a key when your computer first boots, usually something like Delete or F2—the boot screen will tell you which key to press.
If none of the above solutions work, you may need to dig into the wake timers set on your computer. Open the Start menu, search for "Edit Power Plan," and click on "Change Advanced Settings" in the Edit Plan Settings window. Go to Sleep > Allow Wake Timers and change Battery and Plugged In to Disabled. Repeat this process for all your power plans in the drop-down menu.
Finally, if your computer is not waking up from sleep mode, you can try allowing the keyboard and mouse to wake it up, turning off Start Up, re-enabling hibernation, or modifying the Power Settings.
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Allowing the keyboard and mouse to wake the computer
If your Windows PC won't wake from sleep mode with your keyboard or mouse, there are a few things you can try. Firstly, make sure that your keyboard and mouse are working properly. If they are not functioning correctly, they won't be able to wake your PC from sleep mode.
Next, you can try the following steps:
- Right-click on the Windows logo and open Device Manager.
- Find the Keyboard entry, double-click on it to open its Properties window, and then click on the Power Management tab.
- Check the box for "Allow this device to wake the computer" and click OK.
- Repeat these steps for the Mice and other pointing devices category if your mouse is still not waking your PC from sleep mode.
Additionally, your computer may be reducing power to its USB ports while asleep, in which case it won't pick up any signals from your keyboard or mouse. To troubleshoot this issue, go to the Device Manager and expand the Universal Serial Bus controllers section. Double-click on each entry and check the Power Management tab. Disable the option "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power" for each entry and see if that solves the problem. You should also check your PC's power plan to ensure that it is not set to turn off USB ports.
If you are using a Mac computer, you can use the Terminal utility to find out what woke your computer from sleep mode.
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Modifying the Power Settings
Identify the Culprit
Before modifying the power settings, it is essential to identify what is causing your computer to wake up from sleep mode. You can use the POWERCFG command on Windows Terminal to find out the reason. Right-click on the Start Menu and select Windows Terminal (Admin). In the Terminal, type or copy-paste the following command and press Enter: "powercfg –lastwake" (without the quotes). This will display the reason for your PC waking up, such as the File Explorer or any other application.
Device Manager
Once you know which devices are causing the issue, you can modify their power settings. Right-click on the Windows logo and open Device Manager from the context menu. Find the problematic device, such as your keyboard or Ethernet adapter, and double-click on it to open its Properties window. Click on the Power Management tab and uncheck the "Allow this device to wake the computer" option. Click OK to save the changes. Repeat this process for any other devices that may be causing the issue.
Network Wake-Up Options
You can also modify the network wake-up options in the BIOS. Open the Start menu, search for "Device Manager," and locate the Ethernet or Wi-Fi adapter under Network Adapters. Right-click on it, choose Properties, and open the Power Management tab. Here, you can uncheck the "Allow this device to wake the computer" option or select "Only allow a magic packet to wake the computer." A magic packet is useful if you want to access your computer remotely while it is sleeping.
Wake Timers
If the above steps do not resolve the issue, you may need to adjust the wake timers on your computer. Open the Start menu, search for "Edit Power Plan," and click on "Change Advanced Settings" in the Edit Plan Settings window. Go to Sleep > Allow Wake Timers and change both Battery and Plugged In to Disabled. Repeat this process for all your power plans in the drop-down menu.
Additional Power Settings
For more power-saving options, you can explore the Additional Power Settings on your PC. Go to Start, select Settings > System > Power & Sleep > Additional Power Settings. Here, you can select how long you want your device to wait before turning the screen off or going to sleep when you're not using it. You can also select the power mode to optimize your computer for performance or power efficiency.
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Frequently asked questions
You can use the POWERCFG command on Windows Terminal to find out what woke your PC from sleep mode. It's a command-line utility that can control the power states of individual devices and analyse the system for common energy efficiency and battery-life problems.
Right-click on the Start Menu and select Windows Terminal (Admin). In the Terminal, type or copy and paste the command and press Enter: powercfg –lastwake. This will display the reason for your PC waking from sleep mode.
Yes, you can use the Event Viewer app. Search for "Event Viewer" in the Windows search bar and click on the result to open it. Then, click on Windows Logs, followed by System. Scroll down to find the Power – Troubleshooter option and click it to open it. In the General tab, you can see what woke up your computer in the Wake Source.
If your computer doesn't wake up from sleep mode, you can try allowing the keyboard and mouse to wake it up, turning off Start Up, re-enabling hibernation, or modifying the Power Settings.
